Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T03:57:26.707Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Spectral sensitivity and visual conditioning in the parasitoid wasp Trybliographa rapae (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

P.E. Brown ,
C.P. Frank ,
H.L. Groves  and
M. Anderson
P.E. Brown*
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
C.P. Frank
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
H.L. Groves
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
M. Anderson
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
*
* present address: School of Biomedical Sciences, Bute Building, University of St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9TS, UK. E-mail: peb2@st-andrews.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Spectral sensitivity of the wasp Trybliographa rapae (Westwood), a parasitoid of cabbage root fly larvae, was measured by the electroretinogram (ERG) technique and by a complimentary behavioural technique, to 15 selected wavelength bands from 340 to 670 nm. Peaks of electroretinogram sensitivity were found in the ultraviolet, blue and green-yellow regions of the spectrum. This corresponds to known classes of photoreceptor present in the Hymenoptera. Behavioural peaks of phototactic attraction were found in the ultraviolet and green-yellow regions, but not in the blue. No differences were observed between the sexes. We suggest that ultraviolet and green-yellow wavelengths initiated ‘escape’ and ‘foliage’ orientated behaviour respectively. Blue wavelengths appear to have a less specific function but may be important for colour discrimination. Blue wavelengths did, however, become significantly more attractive to female wasps after a pre-experimental conditioning period involving exposure to blue wavelengths in combination with swede infested with cabbage root fly larvae. Thus T. rapae has been demonstrated to show plasticity in its visually motivated behaviour. This may prove advantageous in the development of an artificial egg collecting technique for this species.

Type
Review Article
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 88 , Issue 3 , June 1998 , pp. 239 - 245
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arthur, A.P. (1966) Associative learning in Itoplectis conquisitor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). Canadian Entomologist 98, 213–223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, P.E. & Anderson, M. (1996) Spectral senstivity of the compound eye of the cabbage root fly, Delia radicum (Diptera: Anthomyiidae). Bulletin of Entomological Research 86, 337–342.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Butterfield, A. & Anderson, M. (1994) Morphology and ultrastructure of antennal sensilla of the parasitoid, Trybliographa rapae (Westw.) (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). International Journal of Insect Morphology and Embryology 23, 11–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chittka, L. & Menzel, R. (1992) The evolutionary adaptation of flower colours and the insect pollinators' colour vision. Journal of Comparative Physiology 171A, 171–181.Google Scholar
Chittka, L., Shmida, A., Troje, N. & Menzel, R. (1994) Ultraviolet as a component of flower reflections, and the colour perception of Hymenoptera. Vision Research 34, 1489–1508.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Field, S.A. & Keller, M.A. (1993) Courtship and intersexual signalling in the parasitic wasp Cotesia rubecula (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Journal of Insect Behaviour 6, 737–750.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Finch, S. & Ackley, C.M. (1977) Cultivated and wild host plants supporting populations of the cabbage root fly. Annals of Applied Biology 85, 13–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fukushi, T. (1976) Classical conditioning to visual stimuli in the housefly, Musca domestica. Journal of Insect Physiology 22, 361–364.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goff, A.M. & Nault, L.R. (1984) Response of the pea aphid parasite Aphidius ervi Haliday (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) to transmitted light. Environmental Entomology 13, 595–598.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldsmith, T.H. & Bernard, G.D. (1974) The visual system of insects. pp. 165–172in Rockstein, M. (Ed.) The physiology of insects. Vol. 2. 2nd edn. London, Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Green, C.H. & Cosens, D. (1983) Spectral responses of the tsetse fly, Glossina morsitans morsitans. Journal of Insect Physiology 29, 795–800.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hollingsworth, J.P., Hartstack, A.W. Jr & Lingren, P.D. (1970) The spectral response of Campoletis perdistinctus. Journal of Economic Entomology 63, 1758–1761.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jervis, M.A., Kidd, N.A.C. & Fitton, M.G. (1993) Flower-visiting by hymenopteran parasitoids. Journal of Natural History 27, 67–105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kostal, V. (1991) Behaviourally tested spectral sensitivity of the cabbage root fly (Delia radicum) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae). Acta Entomologica Bohemoslovaca 88, 173–179.Google Scholar
Kostal, V. (1993) Physical and chemical factors influencing landing and oviposition by the cabbage root fly on host plant models. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 66, 109–118.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McAuslane, H.J., Vinson, S.B. & Williams, H.J. (1990) Influence of host plant on mate location by the parasitoid Campoletis sonorensis (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). Environmental Entomology 19, 26–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McClain, D.C., Rock, G.C. & Woolley, J.B. (1990) Influence of trap colour and San Jose scale (Homoptera: Diaspididae) pheromone on sticky trap catches of 10 aphelinid parasitoids (Hymenoptera). Environmental Entomology 19, 926–931.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Menzel, R. (1979) Spectral senstivity and colour vision in invertebrates. pp. 503–580in Autrum, H. (Ed.) Handbook of sensory physiology. Vol. II/6A Berlin, Springer-Verlag.Google Scholar
Michaud, J.P. & Mackauer, M. (1994) The use of visual cues in host evaluation by aphidiid wasps. I. Comparison between three Aphidius parasitoids of the pea aphid. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 70, 273–283.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peitsch, D., Fietz, A., Hertel, H., de Souza, J., Ventura, D.F. & Menzel, R. (1992) The spectral input systems of hymenopteran insects and their receptor-based colour vision. Journal of Comparative Physiology 170A, 23–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prokopy, R.J., Collier, R.H. & Finch, S. (1983a) Visual detection of host plants by cabbage root flies. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 34, 85–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Prokopy, R.J., Collier, R.H. & Finch, S. (1983b) Leaf colour used by cabbage root flies to distinguish among host plants. Science 221, 190–192.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roessingh, P. & Städler, E. (1990) Foliar form, colour and surface characteristics influence oviposition behaviour in the cabbage root fly Delia radicum. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 57, 93–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schmidt, J.M., Cardé, R.T. & Vet, L.E.M. (1993) Host recognition by Pimpa instigator (F.) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) – preferences and learned responses. Journal of Insect Behaviour 6, 1–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vargas, R.I., Stark, J.D., Prokopy, R.J. & Green, T.A. (1991) Response of oriental fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) and associated parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to different colour spheres. Journal of Economic Entomology 84, 1503–1507.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vet, L.E.M. & Dicke, M. (1992) Ecology of infochemical use by natural enemies in a tritrophic context. Annual Review of Entomology 37, 141–172.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vinson, S.B. (1981) Habitat location. pp. 51–77in Nordlund, D.A., Jones, R.L. & Lewis, W.J. (Eds) Semiochemicals: their role in pest control. New York, John Wiley.Google Scholar
Vinson, S.B. (1986) The behaviour of parasitoids. pp. 417–469in Kerkut, G.A. & Gilbert, L.I. (Eds) Comprehensive insect biochemistry, physiology and pharmacology. Vol. 9, Oxford, Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Wäckers, F.L. (1994a) Visual cues in food and host foraging by hymenopterous parasitoids. Norwegian Journal of Agricultural Science, Supplement 16, 347–352.Google Scholar
Wäckers, F.L. (1994b) The effect of food deprivation on the innate visual and olfactory preferences in the parasitoid Cotesia rubecula. Journal of Insect Physiology 40, 641–649.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wäckers, F.L. & Lewis, W.J. (1994) Olfactory and visual learning and their combined influence on host site location by the parasitoid Microplitis croceipes (Cresson). Biological Control 4, 105–112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wardle, A.R. (1990) Learning of host microhabitat colour by Exeristes roborator (F.) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). Animal Behaviour 39, 914–923.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weseloh, R.M. (1972). Field responses of gypsy moths and some parasitoids to coloured surfaces. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 65, 742–746.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weseloh, R.M. (1981) Host location by parasitoids. pp. 79–95in Nordlund, D.A., Jones, R.L. & Lewis, W.J. (Eds) Semiochemicals: their role in pest control. New York, John Wiley.Google Scholar
Weseloh, R.M. (1986) Host and microhabitat preferences of forest parasitic Hymenoptera: inferences from captures on coloured sticky panels. Environmental Entomology 15, 64–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wishart, F. & Monteith, E. (1954) Trybliographa rapae (Westw.) (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae). A parasite of Hylemya spp. (Diptera: Anthomyiidae). Canadian Entomologist 89, 610–639.Google Scholar